Telephone-handset.



G. H. NASH & B. B. GRACE.

I TELEPHONE H ANDSET APPLICATION FILED JULY 2. wt

1 ,298,77 1 Patnted Apr. 1, 1919.v

kit/eh f0r: Gen/7e H. Nash. Ber/ram B. Gracev GEORGE HOWARD NASH,v 0FSIDCUP, AND BERTRAM BARNETT GRACE, OETJPMINSTER, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS TOWESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ACORPORATION-.011? NEW YORK.

TELEPHONE-HANDSET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Y Patented Apr. 1, 1919.

Application filedJuly 2, 1917. Serial No. 178,194.-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE HOWARD NASH and BERTRAM BARNETT GRACE,subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing at Sidcup, in thecounty. of Kent, England,

.and at Upminster, in thecounty of Essex,

. with field telephones or with portable telephones of any description.A telephone handset for use with field telephones, in addition to beingan efiicient instrument, should be small enoughto be carried in a caseor in a pocket when not in use. The usual type of handset, if made smallenough to be carried in a pocket or small case, is ineflicient and, inspite of its small size, is clumsy to use, owing to the distance betweenthe receiver and'the transmitter being too short for the average person.Y

An object of the invention,atherefore, is the provision of a handsetwhich will be fully as eificientas the ordinary type of handset, butwill occupy a small space when not in use. To accomplish this end thisinvention provides a handset in which the supporting member for thereceiver and transmitter is hinged intermediate its ends, enabling theinstrument to be folded up when not in use.

Another feature of this invention is the v provision of means forobtaining good circuit connections between the receiver and transmitterof a handset of the folding type, consisting of an arrangement wherebythe circuit connections between the receiver and transmitter are made bywhat might be i called a plug and jack connection.

The invention further provides a stop which limits the movement of thefolded part of the instrument, thereby preventing the transmitter andreceiver from striking together and also preventing the accidentaldepression of the circuit closing buttons with which such instrumentsare customarlly equipped.

need not, be described.

.. In the drawings illustrating the inven- Figure 1 is a side view,partly in section,

of a handset embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view With. the top cover, transmitter and receiverremoved; and

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the handset showing the same in foldedposition.

In the drawings, 10 is a supporting plate 1 formed with end portions 11and 12, the end portion- 12 having extending therefrom a transmittersupporting plate 13/ To the end portion 11 is hinged the receiversupport 14. Mounted on a supporting member 10 is a block of insulatingmaterial 15 to which are fastened the spring contact members 16. Thesetwo members 16 act as and perform the functions of a jack. In additionto carrying the receiver the plate 14 carries a block of insulatingmaterial 17 in which is inserted a pair of conducting members 18separated one from the other. The

inembers 18 are, as shown in Fig. 2, provided with oppositely disposednotches in which the free bent ends of .thecontact springs 16 areadapted to be forced by the resiliency of the springs.- The engagementof these springs in the notches serves as a catch or lock to maintainthe handle in its extended condition as it is necessary to force thesprings out of the notches before the handle can be folded. The receiver19 is electrically connected with the conducting members 18. Thesupporting member 10 is provided with anopening 20 therein through whichthe members 18 extended position and'back.

With the handset in position for use, all parts are in the positionshown in .Fig. 1, with the insulating piece 17 carried by the ass inmoving from folded toplate 1 1 against the end extension 11, and an Yinspection of Fig. 2 will show that the conducting members 18 are inelectrical connection with the contact springs 16. Cone nection-is madewith the telephone circuit through the medium of the cord 21 and thecircuit connections of the receiver 19 and the transmitter 22 are formedin the usual manner, but'as they form no art of the present inventionthe details 0 such connections l When in use the handset is grasped byis held on to the supporting member by means of screws 27 engaging thepillars 28. When not in use the receiver 19 is folded over toward thetransmitter 22 until such parts assumethe position shown in Fig. 3.

In order to prevent depression of the rectangular insulating piece 23under these conditions or the hitting of the receiver against thetransmitter and the consequent injury to either or bothof them, aprojection 29 has been struck-up out of the metal forming the coverplate 26 and against which the edge of the receiver 19 strikes.

It will be seen from an inspection of Figs. 1 and 3 that with theinstrument in position for use the distance between the receiver andtransmitter is such that it may be conveniently used by the ordinaryperson and that when folded up the instrument occupies but a very smallspace and is of a convenient size to be carried in either a case or apocket.

What is claimed is:

1. A telephone handset comprising an ex- 1 receiver mounted thereon,contact springs mounted in one part of said handle, and a member carriedby the other part of said handle arranged to make electrical contactwith said contact-springs when the handle I is extended and tomechanically engage with sald contact springs to hold the handle-in ltsextended position.

2. A telephone handsetcomprising a folding handle, including two partshinged together, a transmitter and a receiver mounted thereon, a switchoperating lever carried by the other when not in use and to be extendedwith the said portions in alinement when in use, and contact springscarried by one of said portions and an operating member carried by theother of said portions adapted to be brought into operative relationwhen said portions are extended into alinement.

In witness whereof we hereunto subscribe our7names this eighth day ofJune, A. D. 191

GEORGE HOWARD NASH. BERTRAM-BARNETT GRACE.

